Dr Faraz Mughal FRCGP, FFPH
Senior GP Researcher, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences
Dr Mughal is an expert in the prevention of self-harm and suicide and is an internationally leading clinician scientist in this field within primary health care settings.
Academic profile
About
Dr Faraz Mughal FRCGP, FFPH is a Senior General Practitioner (GP) Researcher whose research aims to enhance the management and prevention of common mental health problems, self-harm and suicide, particularly in young people and underserved groups, in primary health care settings. He is an expert in the prevention of self-harm and suicide and is an internationally leading clinician scientist in this field within primary health care settings. Dr Mughal is a practising NHS GP. He holds visiting academic positions at Universities of Melbourne and Washington.
His research has informed NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Research) guidance, national suicide prevention policy and the 2025 Men's Health Strategy for England. He has been awarded five NIHR personal research awards: he has held prestigious NIHR In-Practice and Doctoral Fellowships and has been awarded a NIHR Senior Clinical Research Award. He has won several national prizes and delivered many invited talks.
Dr Mughal led the NIHR funded COPING study, which co-produced and tested the first GP-led psychosocial intervention to reduce self-harm in young people globally. He sits on the expert advisory group for the Men's Health Strategy for England, the effectiveness Sub-Group for the Independent Review into Mental Health, ADHD and Autism, and the Department of Health and Social Care Suicide Prevention Pathfinders advisory group.
He is an NIHR and NIHR Mental Health Research Incubator case study. He works in partnership with researchers, policymakers, patients and the public, clinicians, industry and charities to generate practical and collective impact. He has over 130 scientific and peer-reviewed publications. Dr Mughal is an elected Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners and Faculty of Public Health.
He is delighted to work with journalists and the media to advocate for greater self-harm and suicide prevention research investment, better media practices and improvements in clinical care for people with mental health problems and self-harm or suicidal thoughts.
Expertise
- Self-harm
- Suicide prevention
- Young people’s mental health
- General practice and primary care mental health
Selected publications
- Strengthening the UK primary healthcare response to suicidal ideation (2026)
- Dietary sugar intake and risk of depression: findings from the TwinsUK cohort (2026)
- New suicide prevention guidance in England (2025)
- Mortality in adolescents after therapeutic intervention for self-harm: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2025)
- Assessment and management of self-harm and suicide risk in young people (2024)
- How GPs can help young people avoid future self-harm: a qualitative study (2024)
- Exploring General Practitioners' Management of Self-Harm in Young People: A Qualitative Study (2024)
Media experience
Dr Faraz Mughal's media experience includes working with outlets such as The Times, The Guardian and the BBC.
Languages
English (partial Urdu/Arabic)